Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic brake lamp switch, and more particularly, to an electronic brake system which may enable volume decrease and cost save as an electronic brake lamp switch is configured by using one Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).
Description of Related Art
Generally, an electronic brake lamp switch is applied to an electronic brake system, and output information is transmitted to various kinds of vehicle devices by using OUTPUT1 and OUTPUT2 of the electronic brake lamp switch, and the electronic brake system is connected with an Engine Control Unit or Electronic Control Unit (ECU) such that a vehicle is controlled depending on the circumstances.
For this purpose, the electronic brake switch includes a sensing device which senses motion of a brake pedal, an output device which outputs a signal for turning on a lamp based on the sensing result, and a protecting device which protects a product from damage.
For example, the sensing device determines whether a driver pushes a brake pedal according to whether the brake pedal is pressed, and outputs a signal for turning on a brake lamp (right/left rear lamps and right/left rear upper lamps) when it is determined that a driver pushes the brake pedal. The output device generates OUTPUT1 and OUTPUT2 which are output by inverted images with each other using the output signal output from the sensing device, and supplies current to vehicle devices which are required for turning on the brake lamp or are related with turning on the brake lamp. The protecting device protects a product from damage by outside overvoltage or abnormal surge while the electronic brake lamp switch is operated.
Thereby, the electronic brake lamp switch, which detects operation of the brake pedal by a driver and outputs the turn on signal so as to turn on the brake lamp (right/left rear lamps and right/left rear upper lamps), is a significant constituent element for informing the operation of the brake pedal to drivers of following on vehicles.
However, the electronic brake lamp switch is manufactured by using one printed circuit board (PCB) in which various kinds of devices for constituting the sensing device, the output device, and the protecting device are mounted to be separated with each other. Therefore, the electronic brake lamp switch has fundamental limitations to reduce volume and save cost.
Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 according to prior art, the fundamental limitation occurs in the product volume viewpoint as the sensing device and the output device form about 70% of a PCB size to consider the related passive elements and the circuit of the protecting device which comprises Zener Diode, Diode, Resistor, Capacitor and so on forms about 20% of a PCB size. Further, the fundamental limitation occurs in the product cost viewpoint as a field effect transistor (FET) is used for realizing stable output.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.